I had a powerful dream this morning which was so evidently from the Lord that I felt compelled to write it down and share it. This dream revealed the Father's heart for healing the next generation, our youth, and could not be ignored. The reason? The children of today are both the most anointed and the most assaulted of any previous generations. Even in their schools, the places where they should be receiving mentoring and training, they are not safe. The enemy sees the call of God on this generation and is trying desperately to take them out before they can step into their destinies as miracle-working, revival-awakening instruments of God. A Next Generation DreamIn the dream, I was a senior in school, talking with younger students of all ages. In fact, it was the last day of school, and I was observing the students as they mingled about. Classes had been unusual in that the first class was cancelled because the teacher had left – he had a habit of leaving the students whenever the stock market took a turn, playing the stocks for himself instead of fulfilling his role with his students. We were waiting for period two, when the second class would begin. I talked with some of the students about this apathy of the teachers, for there were several teachers who were known not to care much for the students and to leave them to their own devices rather than teach. I was told that the students were used to this, and took it in stride, although they had little respect for teachers who were not authentic and committed to their roles. I meditated on this, and suddenly the Holy Spirit impressed on me: what if we created a school where every teacher wanted to be there and was 100% devoted to the training of the next generation? This thought so captured my heart that I felt in that moment I should do it or spearhead it. I knew that the next generation would not tolerate hypocrisy or pretenders of any kind – they wanted truth. I don't think it was an accident that I dreamed it was the last day. These are indeed the "last days" before the Lord comes, and what struck me powerfully is that while the students were in place and ready - even hungry to learn - the teachers of my generation were largely absent. I believe this represents the spiritual truth found in 1 Corinthians 4:15: we have many teachers, but not many fathers; not many are devoted to the training and spiritual growth of these children. Weeping WarriorsIn the next scene of the dream, I was in the school's gymnasium, where a large student assembly was being held. I had been made aware that a great tragedy had recently taken place in another state: students had been caught in a "downpipe" on the outside of a building and were later extracted. This was not the first tragedy that had affected our students, but it was the most recent. The gym was full of teens and tweens. I heard an official voice say “those whose role is to grieve, please stand and do so.” On cue, as if in a drama, students all over the gym stood and – to my amazement – began weeping over the atrocities done to their generation. They were "weeping warriors." Instead of their tears being awkward or contrived, however, I noticed that their tears were real – this was no play-acting on their part. The Holy Spirit instructed me, as I watched, that the time of grieving for these students/ this generation had not yet ended, that the trauma went deep and still required healing. Next I heard that same official voice summon a group of students who had a second role to fill in the “drama.” There were, in total, five functions that needed to be filled, and groups of students stood for each one of those roles before the assembly was dismissed. The last two involved leaving the auditorium/gym and going outside, some (like me) to a mailbox, where I had a letter of encouragement to put in the mail, and others to another place outside. As I gathered up some things from my backpack to leave, I saw that the prophet Bob Jones was sitting to my right, watching the students and watching me. (Bob "graduated" to heaven a few years ago but has been a well-respected seer and a prophetic voice in the Body for many years.) Bob, along with others, held a seat in chairs along the walls all around the gymnasium - like the cloud of witnesses watching events on earth unfold. I noticed in particular that he wore a white shirt and dark-rimmed, thick glasses (which again point to his role as a prophetic "seer.") As I awoke from this dream, I remembered that Bob has been one of the key voices proclaiming the third great awakening and a "billion soul harvest" among the youth. As I reread some of his prophetic words this morning, I came upon these: From "Children of Light" prophetic word in 2013: "Recently I’ve seen that people whose light is getting brighter have come under a stronger demonic attack than ever before. As I was praying on what to do about this, this is what I heard: “When you turn a light bulb on in the darkest of night, what does it draw? It draws Beelzebub!” Flies, mosquitoes and other bugs are literally like the enemy’s tormentors. And the children of light are getting under a stronger demonic attack. These tormentors come to distract and put out their light." From a word in 2008 Bob prophesies: "...I saw a man that represents many. He was 25 years old and he had been saved six months. He was speaking and thousands of youth were coming to the Lord. We’re not ready for it yet. I mean we’re getting ready for the youth to be released to the youth. And these youth that’s going to come will be coming out of the sewers. They are going to cry out until they are totally clean and pure and they are going to go forth cleaning others. Those that have been believing and those that have compassion will come with supernatural faith flowing out of them and you’ll see creative miracles. I mean consistent miracles not sporadic as it’s happened in the past; consistent healing and deliverances from infirmity, plagues and all types of viruses and everything else." Finally, a well-known word of Bob's entitled "Circuit Riders" contains these paragraphs: "I saw a white light come out of heaven; it looked like it was a mile wide. I was looking to see where it was going to land. But it didn’t land; it kept going and made a circle. As I observed the circle it became a huge circle of light and a silver ring like a wedding ring. I prayed for the meaning of this and this is what I felt the Lord was saying. “This light has been My circuit riders that I’ve given small circles for them to deliver mail in. The church is My post office and the circuit riders are the ones I send from My post office to other people that they might hear My words. And He said that I have been testing the people in small things and I’ve given them small routes, like small rings. But now I’m going to enlarge their rings. And those who have been totally obedient, I’m going to enlarge their rings worldwide and they shall deliver the mail to the saints over the whole earth. They shall deliver the Father’s message, which is the message of love.” It's Time to Heal the Next Generation
What this dream revealed to me is that despite their toughness and an "I don't care" attitude, the next generation is actually eager to learn and ready to listen for their heavenly assignments. They are showing up for training, but when the teachers themselves do not adhere to God's Kingdom plan, the students scatter.
I have three teenagers of my own, and when I shared this dream with them, they agreed: that is exactly how their generation feels. They can easily identify the teachers who are committed and those who don't have a heart for the job - or for them! They resent authority figures who are more interested in money than mentoring, or self than service. They agree that authenticity is key to winning their respect, and true mentors - people of our generation who really care about them and their future - are rare. In the student assembly at the gymnasium, I see fivefold ministry symbolism – that even the children know their call to the fivefold functions and some are fulfilling it in the wake of these traumas and attacks on their generation. There are weeping intercessors among our children today, like the children who stage walk-outs in protest of the shootings and attempt to make their voices heard. I see the apathy and self-interest of the previous (my) generation, and the lack of respect the younger ones have for those of us who are not authentic and “real,” who abdicate our responsibilities to them and to our roles. I see that heaven (as represented by the presence of Bob Jones and others in the "cloud of witnesses") is watching, waiting, and still eagerly hoping for those who will step into their roles as protectors, teachers, healers and encouragers of the next generation. And I see that not many from my generation are doing so. We may have the titles of teachers but we lack the heart of the Father to develop and train these youth. Most importantly, I realized in this dream the depth of the wounding that the enemy has inflicted on our children through school shootings and other traumas. Their wounds have not healed, and while there are students who weep and intercede for their own generation, our generation has not come alongside of them to weep with them or to guide them as they truly desire to be guided. This in itself is a tragedy. The dream I had stirred me to pray more diligently for this coming generation, as I know many of you already do. I urge you: look around. What young person in your life is eager to learn, yet lacking a mentor? Can you be the one to make an intentional commitment to them, stepping into your kingdom role as a mother, a father, or a teacher? Is there someone you need to repent to, for yourself or on behalf of people you know who have wounded them? The wounds of this generation are deep, and the tough attitudes and defenses they carry are nothing more than a sign of their need for healing. Can we look past the differences, reach into their hearts, and heal with the love of the Father? It is my fervent prayer that we will do so.
© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com. Prophecies taken from Bob Jones' public website, link here.
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October 2024
AuthorA severe hearing loss from childhood caused Deborah Perkins to develop what she now calls her secret weapon: tuning in to God's voice. A Wellesley College graduate and an award-winning writer, Deborah is now a wife and mother of 3 boys. Deborah has devoted over 25 years to professional and lay Christian ministry in New England and beyond. Her passion is inspiring people to cultivate greater intimacy with God. |